Stop the Drip

Being an educator can be immensely rewarding and phenomenally frustrating. Very few professions allow such access to the most incredible resource on Earth.

Children’s hearts and minds.

The difficulty lies in maintaining some sort of balance and sanity along the way. Educators’ minds do not turn off.

Ever!

If you are an educator then you know exactly what I am talking about. If you are not an educator then try going out to eat with them sometime. The entire conversation will be school-related. It is just how we are we are wired. We can not help it. It is what makes us great at we do. We are always trying to think of ways to improve.

Always!

The problem with this constant influx of “eduthought” is that we almost always come up with things we think we could’ve done better.

WE MUST STOP DOING THIS!

This steady drip of self-criticism and critical self-reflection is going to kill us. I am guilty. I question myself all of the time. Furthermore, we allow the steady drip of “things we could do to improve” seep into our brains like an IV drips into a patient.

Self reflection is okay and it is often how we improve. But sometimes we must change the bag. We can’t have the only thing that drips into our brain be self-doubt and self-criticism. We just can’t!

See I believe that we must also allow a few positive thoughts and a few “attaboys” to drip into our brain if we want to keep it healthy. It is in fact the most impressive muscle in our body. Don’t tell the bicep I said that, but you know it’s true.

For every thing that you think you could’ve done better you must start thinking of something that you did do better. When you are at home, for every thing that you think you need to do to prepare for your day tomorrow you must think of one thing that you can do to make your right now better.

Do not let the ratio change.

1:1

Every self-doubt or critical reflection must be paired with a positive reflection or self praise. Start today. Start now. Who knows, you may even be able to tip the scale in the other direction. Won’t that be nice? It is time you allow yourself to start feeling good about yourself. You work too damn hard and care too damn much! End of discussion!

Being an educator is difficult work. There are many folks outside of education that want to tear us down.

Let them try!

They won’t succeed because we are incredible and together we are a force to be reckoned with!

Be good to yourself and stop the drip! You know you are awesome so stop doubting it and just take it in!